More on AT&T and television service

So AT&T (formerly SBC) is launching a new service this summer called Homezone TV. Subscribers will get cable television service through a partnership with satellite television carrier Dish, but the new twist will be the ability to use the set-top box to download movies and other television programs via the Internet.

That’s made possible through a partnership with San Mateo’s Akimbo, which offers about 10,000 shows and movies on demand through the Internet.

Note: this is separate from AT&T’s plans to launch a complete line up of cable televisions services through the Internet. That’s still in development. In the meantime, this appears to be a hybrid, allowing AT&T to offer television service more aggressively than before.